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Japanese Claim Generates New Heat

While most scientists, especially the hotfusionists, have been ridiculing cold fusion as
"pathological science," more adverturesome researchers have been forging ahead. The
most interesting current results, gleaned from many, are those of A. Takahashi, who is a professor
of nuclear engineering at Osaka University.

"He says his cold-fusion cell produced excess heat at an average rate
of 100 watts for months at a time. That's up to 40 times more power than he was putting into the
cell, and more power per unit volume (of palladium) than is generated by a fuel rod in a nuclear
reactor. "

Takahashi has made several modifications in his cold-fusion cell. Rather than palladium rods, he
employs small sheets. In addition, surmising that cold-fusion phenomena might prosper better
under transient conditions, he varies cell current. Takahashi, however, measures only a few of the
neutrons expected from the usual nuclear fusion reactions. Undaunted, he remarks, "This
is a different ballgame, and it could be a different reaction." Indeed, some exotic fusion
reactions do generate neutrons.